A total of 32 coal blocks across several states are yet to receive bids for three or more rounds in the commercial coal auctions that the government is conducting.

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While the Centre is conducting an in-depth study to see if an interest can be elicited in the blocks, coal secretary Amrit Lal Meena has attributed the lack of bids o issues regarding land acquisition, presence of habitations, dense forest cover and challenging geographical conditions.

He told CNBC-TV18 that government-owned coal companies such as Coal India Limited (CIL) and Nevyeli Lignite Corporation (NLC) India Limited are looking at diversifying their business into the renewable energy sector, as they anticipate surplus availability and lesser demand for coal in future.

He added that the government's coal companies are aiming at setting up renewable energy capacity of 5000 MW, while the Centre plans to achieve net zero for the coal mining sector in the next three years.

The secretary said the coal ministry has formulated a coal logistics plan and it has already held a final round of meetings to give it shape. "The National Logistics Policy is envisaging that user ministries will prepare sectoral logistics. They will provide for the additional railway infrastructure requirement and other connectivity projects. The Railways has already included the sector's major requirements it its proposed energy corridor," he said.

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